Writing the NCLEX .. having no Med-Surg exper. in 3 yrs

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Ok, so after 3 years of graduating, and passing the Canadian boards, I have finally decided it would be a good idea to write the NCLEX, because I'm getting bored and need a change of scenery. I went from not ever wanting to work in the states (when I graduated), because at the time I did not feel interested, to wanting to very much so write the NCLEX (decided this 2 months ago). I think one of the major reasons is the travel nursing oppertunities, as well as the fact that I'm really interested in getting really good experience in child/adolesecent mental health, and I think that the teaching hospitals would be more willing to train me, and help me rather than the Canadian ones. I went to a job fair yesterday and this is what I got from there, when I talked with the Canadian vs. US hospitals.

I think it would be an amazing life experience also, to do this before I have a family and have to settle down for good. I don't want to feel as if I've missed out on anything, and I've always wanted to travel, and experience the culture of different places. I think it would be awsome to work/live near NYC, Chicago, LA, Sanfransico and just see what life is like out there. I've always lived in either Vancouver or Toronto, two great cities in Canada, but what else is there.

Now the issues I'm having:

1. I haven't worked on a med/surg floor since I graduated

2. I have OR experience for about a year, but I don't think that will help me as much as med/surg would have.

3. I have been reviewing and feel as if there is SO MUCH .. TOO MUCH that I need to relearn/refresh.

4. I am getting impatient I want to write this test asap, but am willing to spend 4 to 6 months studying for this part time. I also have to work.

5. I realize that those who take the test second time around are not nearly as successful in passing as those who passed first time around.

Please, anyone who can help me. I know there is KAPLAN and Hurst out there. I know that KAPLAN won't review the actual content, just how to study for it. I was wondering if there was a review I coudl attend, or disks/videos I could buy that would review the different systems and diseases, as well as interventions. I can't just read and remember, I am a huge audio/visual learner. If I've heard it/seen it then when I read I remember CONSIDERABLY more than if I just read and re-read.

Can someone help me please? What is this HURST Review, I see they have DVDs, but I will only invest if they will go through the body systems (diseases).

PS. Yes I know the stuff, but I do need to review, and re-understand certain things, I just want to see it or hear it because it will stick that much eaiser.

I thought about just taping my own voice and going through the review book, but I thoguht that might take a lot more time, inefficient maybe?

Thanks for your help.

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hi there,

there are a lot more opportunities, i find, in the u.s. i am one of the few nurses that went the opposite way. oh well, my husband loves it here and i figure i can be a nurse anywhere....anyway, first of all the nclex is purely textbook, so i find the less actual clinical (on the job) experience you remember the better. the hardest thing about the nclex to me was the wording of the questions. it seems, at a glance, anyway that the questions are more management type questions, such as, where to put which patients once they are admitted based in their disease process and the nurses you have at your disposal. this is where your knowledge of the different disease processes come in. make sure you know nursing theory such as signs and symptoms, and interventions. now, this is where a lot of nurses get messed up especially if they have been working in the clinical setting for a while....they answer the questions according to what they would do in the clinical setting. you have to bear in mind that they want text book answers. that being said...i took the kaplan review and i thought it was very helpful. the questions are similar to the types of questions you will see in the nclex. the percentage of people that take their exam and pass are 90%, which is pretty good in my opinion. they give you alot of rescources to prepare you. i am not sure where in canada you are now but if you click here it will tell you the locations in ontario (ottawa and toronto). http://www.kaplannursing.com/course_options_state.jhtml?pi=3600058&stateorprovince=on&needeng=false&prodid=null&delivery_type=null&_requestid=30434

i believe there are other locations in canada as well. it does cost money, but i think its worth it to pass the exam the first time around. i also used saunders nclex review to help me with reviewing diseases processes and pathophysiology. to help you with answering nclex type questions, however, i would try kaplan. hope that helped. if you have any other questions let me know, i will try to help if i can. good luck & god bless!

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hi there!!

thank you so much!! i'm feeling a bit less stressed out, and will definately be signing up for a kaplan course.

hi there,

there are a lot more opportunities, i find, in the u.s. i am one of the few nurses that went the opposite way. oh well, my husband loves it here and i figure i can be a nurse anywhere....anyway, first of all the nclex is purely textbook, so i find the less actual clinical (on the job) experience you remember the better. the hardest thing about the nclex to me was the wording of the questions. it seems, at a glance, anyway that the questions are more management type questions, such as, where to put which patients once they are admitted based in their disease process and the nurses you have at your disposal. this is where your knowledge of the different disease processes come in. make sure you know nursing theory such as signs and symptoms, and interventions. now, this is where a lot of nurses get messed up especially if they have been working in the clinical setting for a while....they answer the questions according to what they would do in the clinical setting. you have to bear in mind that they want text book answers. that being said...i took the kaplan review and i thought it was very helpful. the questions are similar to the types of questions you will see in the nclex. the percentage of people that take their exam and pass are 90%, which is pretty good in my opinion. they give you alot of rescources to prepare you. i am not sure where in canada you are now but if you click here it will tell you the locations in ontario (ottawa and toronto). http://www.kaplannursing.com/course_options_state.jhtml?pi=3600058&stateorprovince=on&needeng=false&prodid=null&delivery_type=null&_requestid=30434

i believe there are other locations in canada as well. it does cost money, but i think its worth it to pass the exam the first time around. i also used saunders nclex review to help me with reviewing diseases processes and pathophysiology. to help you with answering nclex type questions, however, i would try kaplan. hope that helped. if you have any other questions let me know, i will try to help if i can. good luck & god bless!

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No problem. Good Luck! Let me know what you think of the course.

Caroline

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